1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to assist devices for use with outdoor power equipment and, more particularly, to a device that can be affixed to any variety of riding lawn mowers that provides an aid to assists a user with getting on and off of the mower and for providing stability while sitting on the mower during operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Those individuals that have certain physical impairments, or even those that may lose balance and experienced deceased flexibility or motor dexterity with increasing age, may find that working outdoors becomes more of a challenge. One activity in particular, lawn care, can be made easier with the use of lawn tractors or riding lawn mowers.
Garden tractors often have a user sit behind an engine and over top of a mower deck behind a steering wheel. Such a configuration can become difficult to ascend and descend for many. Therefore, one option is the use of a “zero-turn” lawn mower.
A zero turn lawn mower is a standard riding lawn mower with a turning radius that is effectively zero. These types of lawn mowers are larger than a standard mower and have a seat generally positioned above a cutting deck such that an operator must step on top of a floor positioned above the cuffing deck to sit in the operator's chair to drive and operate the mower. The generally flat surface of the floor above the cutting deck allows the operator to enter and exit the lawn mower and provides access to the seat. W hen sitting in the seat, which is generally low to the ground, it may difficult to maneuver from seated to standing position or standing to seated position.
In the prior art, the only devices than an operator may have used for increased stability in exiting and entering the floor include the actual steering and/or drive controlling components, which are generally of an insufficient height to adequately aid the operator and may be inadvertently activated causing the mower to lurch or unexpectedly move if used as an assist device by the operator for exiting or entering the mower.
Some methods and devices are known that incorporate various mechanisms for providing enhanced stability on such outdoor power equipment. One particular example includes U.S. Pat. No. 8,794,660, issued in the name of Stover.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,794,660 issued in the name of Stover discloses a ride-on vehicle with operator assist bar that includes an assist handle for assisting an operator with climbing on to, or off of, a ground maintenance vehicle such as a mower, and a ground maintenance vehicle incorporating the same. The assist handle includes, in one embodiment, a grip portion movable between a deployed position, wherein the grip portion is positioned at a deployed elevation configured to assist the operator with ingress to, or egress from, a platform such as a seat; and a stowed position, wherein the grip portion is positioned at a stowed elevation lower than the deployed elevation.
Such a device may provide balance and support assistance, but exhibits a number of issues that may be of detriment to a user. By way of example, and not meant as a limitation: it is provided in conjunction with the equipment (specifically the ZTR mower design of The Toro Company®) and therefor not adaptable or movable to different styles, models and types of vehicle; it provides very little adjustability for customization for and comfort of the user; and it provides little in the way of ergonomic benefits for use alternately during mowing and mounting/dismounting of the vehicle.
Consequently, a need exist for an improved assist device for affixing to any variety of riding lawn mowers that provides an aid to assists a user with getting on and off of the mower and for providing stability while sitting on the mower during operation.